How to get rid of spots 101

Waking up with an eruption of redness over your face is never fun. Follow these tips to zap the zit.

Is it just us, or do acne spots decide to rear their ugly head right before a special event, an interview or a date? They seem to read our minds and appear right when they can cause the most trouble.

While we know popping them is a no-go – despite it being so tempting – there are a few tricks you can do to blitz the blemish.

Cleanse

Not once, but twice. Start by using an oil to remove any make-up and dirt collected through the day (we love Clinique’s Take The Day Off, £22). Gently dry your face and for round two, apply a balm. Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm (£40) is our currently favourite – it works to lift out any muck hiding in your pores.

Don’t be tempted by make-up wipes as a quick fix either; they are very harsh on the skin and should be kept for emergencies and festival use only!

Tone

This isn’t a necessary step, but a great one to do if you want to pamper your skin. Oh, it’s also a nice way to restore the pH balance of the skin.

Treat

If your skin is having a strop and continues to surprise you with spots, consider investing in some treatment pads that are saturated in BHAs. Once a day, gently wipe this over skin after cleansing. (Try Origins Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Pads, £24.50).

Another favourite of ours is Vichy’s Normaderm 3-in-1 Cleanser. At £12, it’s a fab product to turn to when your skin is being difficult. You can use it as a cleanser or apply a thin layer for 10 minutes as a soothing mask.

Blitz

If you’re in a skin emergency and need to give it a bit of urgent TLC, try the Eve Lom Dynaspot (£22). This pale pink paste is soothing and an antiseptic. This will leave you looking like a Percy Pig (yum) so it’s best applied when you’re on your own watching Netflix. Leave it on your skin for as long as possible before removing with toner.

This one needs to be deployed with care and is fairly heavy on the alcohol content, so leave this as a last resort when you need to reign in a skin disaster before a big event. The Clinique Clinical Clearing Gel (£20) is a great product, but can be a little harsh on the skin. It contains salicylic acid, which helps to gently remove dead skin and work through the contents of the pesky spot.